PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It's a file format created so that documents look the same on any device or operating system—whether you open them on a Windows PC, a Mac, a phone, or a tablet. Unlike a Word document or a web page, a PDF preserves layout, fonts, and images so that what you see is what the author intended. That's why PDFs are used for forms, contracts, reports, ebooks, and anything that needs to be shared without the recipient editing the layout. Here's when to use our free PDF tools.
Merging combines two or more PDFs into one. Use it when you have several documents that belong together—for example, a cover letter and resume, multiple chapters, or scanned pages that should be one file. Our Merge PDF tool keeps the order you choose and runs in your browser so your files stay private.
Splitting takes one PDF and creates multiple smaller PDFs, either by page ranges or by selecting specific pages. Use it when you need to send only part of a document, save one section for yourself, or break a long file into smaller pieces. Our Split PDF and Extract Pages tools do this in seconds with no sign-up.
Compressing reduces file size by optimizing the content inside the PDF. Use it when your file is too large to email, upload to a form, or store easily. Our Compress PDF tool often achieves 30–50% size reduction with minimal loss in quality. All processing happens on your device.
Our free toolkit also includes rotating pages (to fix sideways scans), converting PDF pages to images (or images to a PDF), adding watermarks, removing or reordering pages, and flattening forms so they can't be easily edited. Every tool runs in your browser so your documents never leave your device. For step-by-step instructions, visit our PDF Guides page.